CIGARS
Wellesley’s Cigar & Cognac Experience
| BY DALJIT KAUR AULAKH
C
igar connoisseurs suggest you take your time and savor an exceptional cigar. Regarding locations, why not travel to London’s Wellesley Hotel, Knightsbridge? This five-star boutique hotel houses one of the UK’s largest walk-in humidors and is known to have one of the most extensive cigar collections outside Cuba. At the hotel, you can enjoy a Montecristo, a Cohiba, or a limited-edition Bolivar, to name but a few. The heated terrace, with its inviting leather chairs, allows you to relax and take your time to enjoy your experience no matter the weather. At the Wellesley, you can indulge in the Cigar and Cognac Experience, which will increase your understanding of cigars. The experience includes a 2-3 hour session with a cigar expert, who will advise you in selecting two cigars and a complete commentary on the art of the cigar, from personal tastes to the cutting and lighting of the cigar. On hand to ensure that the selection process is as pleasurable as the smoking is award-winning Cigar Sommelier Giuseppe Ruo with his fully trained team. Our magazine’s journalist, Daljit Kaur Aulakh, had the pleasure of interviewing Giuseppe and learning firsthand about his journey that led him to become one of the world’s most sought-after Cigar Sommeliers. Who is Giuseppe Ruo? Tell us a little about your background. I am originally from Italy and genuinely have a passion for everything within the hospitality sector. At 17, I bought my first bar, and at 19, I opened a cocktail bar in my hometown. In 2000 I moved to London, and cigars became my secret passion, along with aged whisky and cognacs. In 2002 I opened the first cigar walk-in humidor in London. Then in 2007, the indoor smoking ban was 54 | UPSCALE LIVING MAGAZINE | APRIL 2023
